Mahalo!
- 22 hours ago
- 15 min read
Leaving New Zealand is never easy, but saying goodbye this time around hit a little differently. We felt incredibly grateful for all the quick summer catch-ups and quality time with loved ones, and knew we would be back again later in the year. Adventure was calling! A Kiwi and a Cali were officially back on the loose and ready to explore the world properly again!
Our first destination was a big Aloha to the islands of Hawaii, serving as the perfect sunny stopover before heading on to California and kicking off travel through the Americas. The main draw of this leg was visiting Luke's sister, Michelle, who is currently at college on the beautiful island of Oʻahu. Jelley had never been to Hawaii before, and Luke hadn't been since he was a kid, so we were both excited to explore it together.
Getting there, however, felt like a bizarre glitch in time thanks to crossing the International Date Line. We boarded our flight and departed New Zealand on Sunday, May 3rd, soared across the Pacific Ocean, and landed in Hawaii on... Sunday, May 3rd! By the time we finally landed, unpacked, and made it through to the end of the evening, that single Sunday had stretched on for a wild 46 hours.
Hawaii is a fascinating place with a rich history. Made up of an isolated volcanic archipelago in the Central Pacific, the state technically encompasses 137 islands spread across 2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles). Most people know of just the 8 main inhabited islands though: Hawaiʻi (the Big Island), Maui, Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Niʻihau, Kahoʻolawe, and Oʻahu, which is where the University of Hawaii is located in the capital city of Honolulu.
For centuries, Hawaii was an independent sovereign kingdom. Following a complex and controversial overthrow of Queen Liliʻuokalani by American businessmen in 1893, the islands were annexed by the United States in 1898 despite strong local resistance. Eventually, Hawaii became the official 50th U.S. state in 1959.
Stepping off the plane, the vibe felt equal parts surprisingly familiar and delightfully foreign. Coming from New Zealand, we immediately noticed the Polynesian roots. Both Māori and Native Hawaiians share ancestral origins, and the linguistic ties were obvious straight away. For example, the Hawaiian word Aloha shares its roots with the Māori Aroha (love, compassion, and greeting), and Moana means ocean in both languages.
At the same time, we had a stark, unmistakable reminder that we were firmly on American soil. We were instantly struck by how modern, developed, and fast-paced the capital city of Honolulu felt. With all the placings of a large American city, strip malls, traffic jams, giant American retail stores, and high-rise buildings, parts of Honolulu felt like they could be almost any major US city, except this one just happened to be sitting right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean!
Upon arrival in Honolulu, we met up with Luke’s sister who gave us a fun little college campus tour and caught us up on life as a 19 year old in Hawaii. It was pretty crazy that the first time Jelley met Michelle she was just 10 years old, and now is an adult attending college! We felt old, and not for the only time on this trip!
After settling in and taking a quick nap at Michelle's dorm and meeting her cat Mango, we made a quick afternoon trip down to Waikiki beach together. Waikiki is one of the most popular destinations of Hawaii and the beach was filled with both locals and tourists picnicking, swimming and surfing. As the sky turned gorgeous shades of orange and pink, we settled in to watch our very first Hawaiian sunset, and it was absolutely spectacular. To top off the evening, we even spotted a few wild mongooses scurrying along the shoreline. They are odd little creatures that look like stoats. Jelley thought they were made up.
One of the other draws for us to go to Hawaii was to meet up with a travel friend who we met while trekking through the Japanese Alps. We met Andrea, a lovely Japanese-Hawaiian who was in the middle of an epic three-month adventure across Honshu and Hokkaido. We shared much of an epic 4-day hike together, though she was undeniably more hardcore than us, carrying her own tent and food for the entire journey while we opted for the cozy, catered mountain refuges!
During those long trail chats, Andrea mentioned that if we ever made it to Hawaii, we would have a place to stay and a car to borrow. We are definitely the kind of people who will take someone up on an offer like that! She was more than happy to follow through, eager to pay forward the incredible generosity kiwi locals had shown her when she travelled through New Zealand years ago. Andrea’s incredible hospitality gave us a home sweet home and the ultimate base camp for our time on Oahu.
We were intrigued to visit the Pearl Harbor memorial, easily one of the most popular historic destinations in the United States. Tickets for the USS Arizona Memorial are notoriously competitive, and Luke had diligently logged on to book our tickets 30 days in advance. This was an extra impressive effort given that we were right in the middle of delivering the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia at that time!
Visiting Pearl Harbor provided a sober look into a defining moment of World War II. On the morning of December 7, 1941, the Japanese Navy launched a surprise military strike against the U.S. naval base. The battleship USS Arizona was hit by bombs, causing an explosion that sank the ship within minutes, along with the majority of other ships in the harbor. A total of 1,177 U.S. sailors and Marines aboard the Arizona lost their lives, accounting for nearly half of all Americans killed during the attack and forced the U.S. to join the war.
Today, nearly 85 years later, the USS Arizona Memorial straddles the sunken battleship without touching it. We took a short ferry ride from the main museum over to the memorial to walk around on it and see all the names of the lives that were lost. Interestingly, the ship still leaks about 1.9 to 8.5 liters (2-9 quarts) of oil every day into the harbour. Often called the "Black Tears of the USS Arizona," this oil rises to the surface where you can see it in the water. Another incredible historical detail is that surviving veterans who served aboard the USS Arizona during the attack have the option to be cremated and have their ashes placed inside the ship by navy divers, reuniting them with their fallen shipmates.
Visiting Pearl Harbor was deeply moving, especially because we stood at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan just a year earlier. Having that context made the experience even more thought-provoking. While Pearl Harbor was a tragedy, comparing the two highlights a striking contrast. The Japanese strike was targeted strictly at U.S. military installations and battleships, resulting in 2,403 casualties that were almost exclusively military personnel. In contrast, the eventual retaliatory atomic bombing of Hiroshima instantly wiped out over 70,000 lives, the vast majority of whom were civilians. Standing there, we also noted how little the exhibits seemed to covered the eventual retaliation casualties that followed in the Pacific, though perhaps we missed that part of the exhibit.
Perhaps most interesting was the incredible shift in historical trajectory following World War II. During WWII, anti-Japanese sentiment ran rampant across the United States, leading to the forced relocation and incarceration of over 120,000 Japanese Americans in internment camps. Fast forward to today, and Hawaii and Japan share an exceptionally close, harmonious relationship. Quite a change of tune!
The Japanese cultural influence across Oahu is unmistakable. You see it everywhere in the architectural design of local homes, the incredible abundance of authentic Japanese cuisine, and even the local 7-Eleven stores, which has Japanese cuisine including Onigiri which we absolutely loved. Hawaii is also one of the premier dream holiday destinations for Japanese, and we also recalled visiting several 'Hawaiian Cafes' in Osaka.
Andrea had 2 days off work to share with us, and had planned several awesome adventures for us to experience her home island. We jumped in the car with Michelle in tow (her first time leaving the city of Honolulu!), and headed West. We made a stop at 7/11 for some roadtrip snacks (the best 7/11 in the USA, but nothing compared to Japan!), where Jelley tried Spam Musubi for the first time. Not a fan!
Our first stop on our road trip was a cool local snorkeling spot at ‘Electric Beach’. It was actually a discharge a pipe from a power plant which creates a patch of warm water, and attracts a wide variety of fish and marine life. We saw lots of neat fish and Luke & Andrea swam through a few underwater rock tunnels, and we were delighted to have a sea turtle come by to welcome us to their home!
We continued down the West Coast and stopped for lunch at a famous local poke stand. Absolutely delicious! Poke (pronounced poh-kay) means "to slice" or "cut crosswise" in Hawaiian. A traditional bowl features raw, bite-sized cubes of fresh fish like ahi tuna, tossed with soy sauce, sesame oil, green onions, sea salt, and and seaweed served over warm rice. It started centuries ago when native Hawaiian fishermen seasoned daily catch offcuts at sea. Later, Japanese, Chinese, and Filipino plantation workers added soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice, creating the modern fusion. Today, poke is a way of life in Hawaii, available everywhere from gas stations to local counters.
There had been a big hurricane hit the island a month earlier, so the coastal road was closed to our intended destination. Our change of plan led us to the Pill Box hike, which was a super local hiking spot which takes you to the top of a hill with some old military bunkers in perfect time for sunset. We were promised ‘great bang for your buck’ - it was definitely a steep hike than a sunset stroll, but there were unreal views and it was absolutely worth it. The perfect conclusion to a great day in Oahu.
We had a few options for our next day with Andrea, and agreed upon her favourite hike, described as the ‘big adventure’, featuring a jungle, waterfalls, mountain summit and crater ridge line. We discussed our level of hiking experience and preferences, and Jelley made it very clear that trails where chains and ropes are required are a step too far. We thought we would be walking alongside a waterfall .. not climbing UP one! It was only one direction and at that stage the only choice was to keep on going - it was hardcore, and type 2 fun (not enjoyable at the time but enjoyable afterwards). Upon reflection, this was also such an incredible experience to share with Andrea as a local, and not one we would stumble across or choose to complete on our own. We had a lot to be grateful for!
When we reached the impressive alpine bog in a clearing at the top of the waterfalls, we realised continuing on to the summit at the time of the volcanic crater might be beyond us on this huge day. It was a huge relief that the descent was far easier than the ascent! As the elevation changed, the flora also changed, and we were surprised to find plants similar to those in the North Island of New Zealand. One in particular was the Ōhiʻa Lehua , which was very similar to the Pohutukawa (New Zealand’s Christmas Tree). It was strange to see the high rise resorts of Waikiki in the distance - we felt like we were on another planet.
We concluded the epic day with a well-deserved feast in Chinatown.
There was time for one final morning adventure before our flight departing Oahu, so we went out to Diamond Head State Park with Michelle. Diamond Head is an ancient volcanic crater on Oahu that was later used as a U.S. military fortification before becoming a state monument and iconic hiking destination. This is one of the most popular short walks in Honolulu and super central and accessible, and needs to be pre-booked for entry. It was very hot, but a rewarding effort-reward ratio and fortunately easier than the previous day’s huge hike.
Next up was Maui. Hilariously, we had booked this flight thinking Andrea lived there and we would be staying with her! As it turned out, our memory from the Japanese Alps was completely off. She had simply recommended the island for an awesome hike. It ended up being a happy mistake, and we had zero regrets spending six days exploring this iconic spot. We left the city with a sprinkle of rain and a rainbow. Honolulu Airport was really neat, home to several outdoor cultural gardens after the security check.
Maui, much like where had been in the centre of Australia, was recovering from record rainfall floods when we arrived. The island was so green! It made for a very unique time to experience it. The recovery from the recent floods, combined with the aftermath of the devastating Lahaina wildfire, has resulted in a huge housing crisis in recent years, and created an almost anti-tourism sentiment from some locals. We were sensitive to this, and aware that our presence may not be welcomed by all on the island as they navigate the recovery alongside the post-covid boom in both domestic and international tourists.
Accommodation on the island in general is horrendously expensive and we didn’t want to blow our travel budget in the first week! We landed just before sunset, collected our rental car and drove to Camp Olowalu, where we were staying in a ‘tentalow’. This was a tent cabin, however, not really glamping like our recent experience at Bel Air national park in Adelaide the month prior (with its electricity, ensuite and tv!). It was perfect for what we needed for our first night, but we were glad not to be spending the entire week there.
The main Maui recommendation from Andrea was to hike in the Haleakala National Park - one of just two National Parks in the Hawaiian islands. We had booked a couple of campgrounds inside the National Park, and planned a route into the volcanic caldera. Our first stop to prepare was to Walmart for our gas cooker and food supplies. It felt like quite the contrast of leaving the island in the Pacific and entering the USA, it was very American. It was also one of the nicest Walmarts we’ve ever been to, and we had fun seeing all of the super-sized goods and brands from Luke’s childhood.
Before heading into the wilderness, we caught up with Luke’s close family friend Cindy and her mother, who was just shy of her 96th birthday! We met for lunch at a stunning spot housed inside a retrofitted sugar mill, set against a classic Hawaiian backdrop. Cindy shared nostalgic stories and old photos from Luke’s childhood, while her mother blew us away with her lifestyle, regularly commuting between Maui and California. We topped off a wonderful visit by trying some delicious local malasadas (Hawaiian donuts) and felt so grateful for the chance to connect with them both!
We were excited to embark on our volcanic adventure up to the top of Haleakala! Our first campsite in Haleakala National Park was located about halfway up the volcano at Hosmer Grove, sitting around 2,070 meters (6,800 feet) above sea level. The area featured a fascinating mix of native and introduced trees, creating a vibrant sanctuary for rare native forest birds like the Hawaiian honeycreeper and others. It was a tranquil, gorgeous spot, and sleeping halfway up a massive volcano felt completely surreal.
We woke to beautiful birdsong in the morning before packing up our campsite and gearing up for our overnight trek down into the Haleakalā crater via the Sliding Sands trail on the way down and then the Halemau'u trail on the way back up. Since our route was a point-to-point hike rather than a loop, we needed to park our car at the exit trailhead and hitchhike up to the starting point.
To our surprise, the national park has a fantastic setup for this, complete with secure parking at the end and a designated "hiker pick-up" spot to catch rides with day-trippers heading to the summit. Given how heavily regulated hitchhiking usually is across the US, finding an official hitchhiking zone felt hilarious, but it made total sense for the park layout! Luckily we got picked up by the first car that passed by us and drove us to the summit.
Standing at the summit, it was difficult to gauge the sheer magnitude of the volcanic depression below. While most visitors come just to catch the sunrise or sunset from the peak, we were venturing all the way down onto the crater floor. Haleakalā crater is massive. It's the third-largest volcano in Hawaii, behind the massive Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea on the Big Island. Spanning roughly 11.25 kilometers (7 miles) long, 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) wide, and nearly 800 meters (2,600 feet) deep, Haleakala is large enough to comfortably fit the entire island of Manhattan inside. Its floor was dotted with cones that look like mini volcanoes sitting inside a giant crater bowl.
About 30 minutes into our descent along the aptly named Keoneheʻeheʻe (Sliding Sands) Trail, we paused in awe to experience something increasingly rare: pure, absolute silence. Near the top of the trail, a Swiss hiker stopped to ask how on earth we had figured out the one-way hiking route and vehicle logistics. Without even knowing Jelley was a Kiwi, she remarked that the setup and stark volcanic landscape reminded her of New Zealand's Tongariro Alpine Crossing, a exact comparison we had made just moments earlier!
The landscape and rock formations around us were incredible. We commented more than once ‘where is everybody?!’. We saw so few others - a handful who were heading down the first section of the ‘sliding sands trail’ and returning back up again. No one doing the same trail as us, and for the majority of the day, we had the entire caldera to ourselves.
It was also surprising how green the volcano was, with extra growth after the record rainfall. Different ferns, shrubs and plants grew through the inhospitable sharp volcanic rock and lava flows, in stark contrast. One of the coolest plants we saw was the Silversword plant, which is endemic only to this volcanic crater. While it was not in bloom (a rare sighting!), we could see how high they can grow, and they were very unique.
Reaching the flat caldera floor, the sheer expanse of the crater was almost incomprehensible. It was like being inside of a giant bowl with the walls surrounding us in all directions. We were well and truly in the belly of the beast, trekking along a sandy trail that got noticeably tougher to trudge through with every step. We stopped for a well-deserved lunch break at one of the park's historic wilderness cabins and confirmed our route to the Holuʻa campsite for the night. There are a few of these cool cabins scattered across the crater floor, but unlike New Zealand’s DOC huts, you cannot just book an individual bunk bed. You have to reserve the entire cabin, and because they snap up the second bookings open six months in advance, camping was our only option!
As we trekked onwards from lunch, the landscape shifted dramatically. We passed towering dormant volcanic cones that rose up from the floor like massive, painted funnels. The slopes surrounding them were streaked with incredible reddish, golden-yellow, and orange rainbow colours. The terrain then morphed into a raw, alien seascape of jagged lava rock. Walking over these dried rivers of black and charcoal stone with deep fractures felt like stepping onto the surface of the moon. It was super duper cool!
It was a longgg day and the combination of soft sand then sharp rocks underfoot really tired us out. We were grateful to reach the Holua campsite, and set up our home for the evening before the mist and potential rain enveloped us. We were joined by a small group of college aged students, who took a shorter route to the campsite, but were far enough away it still felt like we were alone up here. This campsite had absolutely no amenities, it claimed to have a toilet but the smell and upkeep, along with the sign ‘this premises is unhygienic’, really made it unusable. Luckily the next day was a shorter hike, and we had prepared enough drinking water to make it out!
It was beautiful waking up in the calm conditions on the volcano. We packed up early, and began the steep ascent up and out of the crater. We emerged in perfect timing, with thick fog setting in just before we reached the car and no views to be seen.
We had 3 days left to enjoy Maui as the regular tourist would...relaxing by the beach!
We drove around the coast to the Northwestern side of the island to the cove of Napili Bay (tucked in between better-known Kapalua and Kaanapili Bays). We had ummed and ahhed about where to spend this time, but struck jackpot with this cute accommodation with the best snorkeling of the island right on our doorstep. We didn’t need to drive anywhere once we were settled in!
On our first day, strong trade winds made the water too dangerous for a swim, so we instead enjoyed a meandering walk along the coastal path to Makaluapuna Point, home to the famous 'Dragon’s Teeth'. This unique rock formation was created hundreds of thousands of years ago during Maui's final volcanic eruptions. As molten basaltic lava flowed down from West Maui toward the ocean, fierce ocean winds and pounding waves pushed the lava back upward, cooling it into sharp, vertical spires that resemble jagged black dragon teeth sticking up out of the coastline. We spent the rest of the day chilling by the pool at our lovely little condo.
The next day, a local legend at Snorkel Bob's got us kitted out with gear. We absolutely loved the crystal clear waters, swimming alongside ginormous sea turtles and a rainbow of tropical fish. Luke even spotted Hawaii's famous state fish, the humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa, bringing back instant childhood memories. It was so incredible that we went out for multiple snorkeling sessions throughout the day.
The beachfront right next to our condo served up gorgeous sunsets every single evening. We totally get what all the fuss is about and why so many people (mostly Americans) return to Maui year after year. While we missed the Road to Hana this time, we had a phenomenal visit and loved every moment. Next time we return to Hawaii, we are keen to explore a different island, as each has its own unique vibe. Luckily, Luke's sister still has a few years of college left on Oahu!
We wrapped up our time in Hawaii feeling relaxed, completely recharged, and ready to head to California for plenty more reunions with family and friends. Our final island memory was a classic dose of US airport drama when airline staff accosted us over our empty camping stove attachment. But that is a story for another time, and wasn't enough to cast a shadow over the magic of our trip to Hawaii!
Until Then,
- A Kiwi and A Cali
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